Every time we talk of Salman Khan, we talk of the extremes: love and criticism, devotion and doubt. His stardom is synonymous with storms. While controversies followed him like shadows, his influence continued to grow, rooted in a connection. His presence extends beyond aesthetics or performance alone—it is institutional.
Yet, even within this near-mythic stature, the limits of stardom assert themselves. There remains no denying his starpower, his magnifying aura, and his presence that alone has lured audiences to the theatre for decades—but if the script owns a weaker crux, his honed craft alone can’t single-handedly rescue it. Taking Sikandar as a case, critics argued that the script was weak. The acknowledgement later came from director A.R. Murugadoss himself, who admitted the miscalculation that eventually led to the film’s overall failure. Tubelight followed a similar nemesis—it failed commercially; however, audiences warmed to Salman Khan’s innocence and naivety in the film, albeit too late. The reason was evident: it strayed from his familiar ‘action-hero’ momentum. Over the past years, this pattern has persisted. Films like Race 3, Dabangg 3, Radhe, Antim and Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan failed to leave an ideal imprint at the box office. Even Tiger 3 showed visible slips when measured against the towering popularity of the franchise itself.
And then comes The Battle of Galwan—it came out as a moment of reckoning and not just a mere teaser drop. In just 24 hours, it amassed 60 million views, instantly igniting both fan admiration, scepticism and outrage. It’s a glory to witness the nation’s bravery, and then when it is led by Salman Khan.
In an age-obsessed country that rarely forgives men and women for growing older, especially stars, Salman Khan—now 60—has been relentlessly questioned for daring to step into the boots of a warrior. Trolls dissected his smile in the teaser, mocked it, and even claimed the frames had been borrowed from Game of Thrones. However, this limbo between criticism and courage is not unfamiliar territory for him. For years, he stood precisely here—but he remained unflinched.
But for someone like me, who has grown up watching him and is an ardent fan of the 90s, all of this feels personal.
Today, the new-age audience sees him anchoring Bigg Boss with command, and in the fast-forwarding days, might just recognise him as the Bigg Boss anchor. Nonetheless, he is spectacular at the craft of anchoring—we saw it in 10 Ka Dum too. But Salman Khan must never be reduced to just a television anchor. We, as fans, refuse to accept a narrative that confines him to a television stage, no matter how dominant his presence on Bigg Boss remains.
Salman Khan is bigger than these television formats, bigger than trends, and bigger than the fleeting cruelty of online verdicts. That being said, the Battle of Galwan is important. It should come across as a reminder to the new-age audience that legends do not fade; they evolve, endure, and rise—time and again—on their own terms.
Bhaijaan of Bollywood time and again has proven his acting prowess. Many wonder when Salman can deliver the goods in movies like Sultan and Bhajrangi Bhaijaan, then why resort to mediocre attempts -again and again- reeking of lack of intent and effort.
We hope Salman takes cinema more seriously, looks beyond his aura (which fades eventually) and respects his fans and cinema lovers who have showered him with so much love.
Fingers crossed for the Battle of Galwan. Fingers crossed for Salman Khan.
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